Bus support



N. G POLGOV Sept. 17, 1935,

vBUS SUPPORT Filed Dec. 6, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (Z Polgor Sept. 17, 1935. N, G. POLGOV 2,014,634

BUS SUPPORT Filed Dec. 6, 1950 2' Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES BUS SUPPORT Nicholas G. Polgov, Chicago,

Ill., assignor to Delta-Star Electric Company, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois 6, 1930, Serial No. 500,570

Application December 3 Claims.

This invention relates to bus bar. supports which are intended mainly for use with relatively low voltages. These bus supports may be readily used in manholes, storage battery rooms, and general bus structures, such as for railway work and telephone switchboards.

A feature of these bus supports resides in the identical formed halves which are connected together by interfitting lugs and are clamped with bolts to hold the bus supports over tubular supporting members either in direct contact therewith, or insulated from the same. The simplicity of the structure provides an economical assembly and reduces the number of parts required in making up the bus support unit. The bus support unit is formed of just'the two members, each of which are identical, and by means of the proper clamping bolts these parts can be adjusted and held in operative position. The members are designed of a nature to provide the necessary sturdy construction to permit the bolts to clamp the parts firmly in place and the interfitting lug portions of the two members of the bus support keep the members in alinement in clamping the same together by the clamping bolts. One member of the bus support may be made of iron and the other of bronze so as to reduce eddy currents it it is desired.

The bus clamp unit is particularly adapted for use with the regular pipe framework which supports the bus supporting members. The primary advantages of this bus clamping unit construction for low voltage bus work is economy, not only in the first cost, but in saving of space, which is very important on work of this kind. On very high capacity bus runs bars may be spaced for better circulation of air and distribution of current without necessitating expensive insulator supports. When the bars are of the same polarity they can all be placed on the same supporting member without insulation, while the supporting member only is insulated from the ground at the points where it is supported.

The structural advantages and features of primary importance, together with other details will he more fully and clearly defined and set forth in the specification and claims.

Figure 1 illustrates the bus supporting unit in operative position, only a detail of the bus bars being illustrated.

Figure 2 is a view of the bus supporting unit in the opposite direction to Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective of the bus supporting unit and clamp as it would appear removed from the support and free of the bus bars.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one side of the clamp of the bus unit.

Figure 5 illustrates another form of the bus supporting unit, showing a varied use of the same. Figure 6 IS a view of the bus unit illustrated in Figure 5 froma position at right angles to Figure 5, and showing a part of the insulator in section. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the bus supporting unit and clamp of the construction illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of one of the clamping members of the bus support of Figures 5 and 6 and 7.

The bus supporting unit A provides a clamping means which is adapted to engage a pipe B which 10 i may be insulated by the insulating sleeve C of any suitable insulating material or the unit A may be directly connected to the pipe B as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.

The unit A includes two side clamping members til which are identical in formation, each of which is formed with a loop portion It with a projecting ear l2 in which a bolt hole i3 is formed. The ear i2 is formed on one side of the loop it. On the opposite side of the loop It the side or clamping member ii! of the unit A is formed with an extended clamping arm M which may extend straight as in the structure illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, or may be curved like the form illustrated in Figures 5 to 8, inclusive.

The clamp A in Figure 2 may be mounted on the insulating tube which may be made of a combination of materials molded into the desired form which include formaldehyde, carbolic acid, and wood pulp, or other similar insulating material 30 and which is preferably reinforced by the iron pipe 3i. This forms a very substantial support for the bus supporting unitary clamp A. It is obvious, however, that the clamp A may be directly connected to the pipeif it is desired, rather than to the insulating material.

In the straight formation of the clamping arms Ml of the sides it the end of the same is formed with a bolt hole 65 while the inner end of the arm carries an integral lug it. This lug is formed 4 with a bolt recess ill which coincides with the bolt hole 98 formed in the side of the arm it.

The loop it is formed integral with the arm it and is shaped to provide a recess l9 opposite the lug l6 and where the loop joins integrally with the arm it. This recess i3 is adapted to receive the lug it on the opposite side member iii of the unit A. The sides 48 are formed identical so that each side is formed with an arm it and a lug it, together with a recess i 9. This permits the mem- 50 bers iii to be fit together as illustrated in Figure 3, with the lug it of the respective sides it inter-- fitting into the respective recesses l9 and providing the bolt recesses it which coincide with the bolt openings 08 in the respective arms M.

Thus when the members iii are interfit the lugs it hold the side members it! in alinement and by means of the clamping bolts 20, 2|, and 22, which extend through the openings l3, l8 and I5, respectively, the sides ID of the bus supporting unit A may be connected together as illustrated in the drawings. The bolts hold the sides III together and clamp the loop portions I I over the pipe supporting frame B, holding the bus unit in position while the bus bars D extend between the arms I4, being held in operative position therebetween.

In the structure of the bus supporting clamp or unit A of Figures 5 to 8, inclusive, the sides I0 are formed with the loop portions II, together with the bolt supporting ear portions I2 and the bolt receiving opening I3. The bolt receiving opening I3 is elongated in both forms of the clamp unit A.

In this form of the bus unit A the sides In have the arms I4 which extend from the loops H of a curved nature so as to fit over a round or circular member such as the insulator sleeve E, illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, and the ends of the arms I4 are spaced by the straight side portions 24 from the loop portions I I. The portions 24 connect the ends l4 of the arms with the loops II. In this structure only the two clamping bolts 20 and 2I are used to hold the sides I0 clamped over the pipe B and around the insulator such as E when the unit is connected together. The straight portion 24 of this clamp formation is provided with inwardly extending lugs IE which are formed semicylindrical with the flat side extending toward the outside and the curved portion toward the inside. The groove 25 is formed in the edge of the straight portion 24 opposite to the lug I6 which is adapted to receive the lug I6 of the opposite side I0. In this form of the clamp bus support unit both of the sides ID are formed identical so that they interfit and each is formed with a recess I9 which receives the shoulder portion 26 of the opposite side III. In other words, both sides III of the bus supporting unit are identical and they interfit and are connected together in such a manner so that the lugs I6 with the shoulder portions 26 fitting into the recesses I9 hold the sides II) in alinement so that the clamping bolts 20 and 2| may operate to clamp the members together and the sides interfit in such a manner as to be held in the correct position while they are clamped by the bolts over the supporting pipes and insulators.

In each of the structures set forth and illustrated it is economy in manufacture to provide the sides of identical formation and of such a peculiar construction as to fit one into the other so as to hold the sides in alinement. This makes it easy for the workmen to connect these bus supporting units and reduces the space required for these units together with simplifying the handling of the parts. The advantages of these bus supports as a unit made from two identical members held by the clamping bolts will be quite apparent in providing bus supports for low voltages and for use where a limited space is available owing to the compact structure, the sturdy formation, and the simplicity in handling the parts to connect the same in a manner to form the bus unit support. This bus unit also has the advantage of permitting one member to be made of one material and another of another material which will reduce eddy currents. The pipe bar combination may be used more in switchboard work and for telephone storage battery control panels. In these cases the bus bar can be insulated by taping under the clamp or by clamping to a steel pipe covered with fibre such as C or fibre insulated paper over the pipe or the clamping loop I I may be extended over an insulated rod or bar of any suitable material.

In close quarters this bus support adapts itself very readily to provide a holding means for the bus members or cables and when used in manholes for supporting cable runs that fan out along the sides of the hole, it is only necessary to install a piece of galvanized iron pipe running vertically from the roof to the floor and spaced a few inches from the wall. The bus supporting unit has many other typical uses with regular pipe frameworks such as are usually used with indoor switchboard equipment and cable racks.

These features which include not only economy in first cost but in saving of space which is very important in this type of work, increase the utility and practical nature of my bus supporting unit. In using this bus supporting unit on high capacity bus runs, bars may be spaced for better circulation of air and distribution of current without necessitating expensive insulating supports. Further, when the bars are of the same polarity, they can all be placed on the same supporting member without insulation, the supporting mem her only being insulated from the ground at the points where it is supported.

In accordance with the patent statutes, the principal structure and formation of my bus supporting unit and cable support have been set forth in a manner in which I believe represents the best embodiment thereof, however, obvious changes and detail within the scope of the following claims shall be considered as a part hereof.

I claim:

1. In combination, a supporting structure including, a tube formed of insulating material having an internal reinforcement extending therethrough, a pair of clamping members, clamping ends adapted to virtually encircle said insulating tube intermediate the ends thereof, bolt means for holding said clamping members rigidly to said insulating tube, interlocking lugs and recesses in which said lugs may slide formed on each of said clamping members to hold said members slidably longitudinally aligned and to prevent excessive pivoting of said members, and ends opposite said first named clamping ends adapted to extend in close proximity'to said insulating support and adapted to provide a bus and cable support for continuous electrical conductors.

2. An electrical conductor supporting unit including, a pair of plate-like members having virtually an identical structure and formation throughout, loop portions formed on one end of said members, bolt receiving ears projecting beyond said loop ends, an elongated bolt receiving slot in each of said ears, interlocking slidable lug and recess portions holding said loop ends in slidable longitudinal alignment formed between the ends of said plate members and insulator supporting ends oppositely disposed to said loop ends.

3. An electrical conductor supporting unit including, a pair of plate-like clamping members, loop engaging ends formed on one end .of said members, interlocking lugs and recessses formed between the ends of said plate-like members, the lugs of each plate projecting toward the other plate and interfitting in said recesses, ends formed opposite said loop ends adapted to provide a cable or bus bar supporting means, said interlocking lugs and recesses holding said loop ends in slidable longitudinal alignment and said loop ends from excessive pivoting, and clamping bolts extending through said plates on either side of said loop ends.

NICHOLAS G. POLGOV. 

